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Crusaders player ratings vs Moana Pasifika | Super Rugby Pacific
The Crusaders welcomed Moana Pasifika Friday night in Dunedin to kick-start round three. Moana Pasifika finally got their Super Rugby Pacific campaign underway after a stalled start, missing out on the first two rounds due to Covid-19 cases in their camp.
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Scott Robertson confirmed a raft of changes to play Moana Pasifika, choosing to rest players and test their squad depth. It was arm wrestle early in the match, with Moana Pasifika scoring their first try in the team’s history to open the scoring.
Eventually having to make so many tackles with no possession took its toll on Moana Pasifika and the Crusaders machine kicked into gear to close out the game with a bonus point.
Here’s how the Crusaders rated:
1. George Bower – 6
The All Blacks prop hit the rucks hard and had some handy carries. Was solid at set-piece time and prevented Moana Pasifika from gaining any proper advantage in the scrum.
2. Brodie McAlister – 5
Was solid at line-out time against not much resistance from the Moana Pasifika forwards. Was able to find a few open spaces during the match.
3. Fletcher Newell – 5.5
Newell moved to the starting side for game day replacing Oli Jager who developed some calf tightness at training and was withdrawn from the game. Put pressure on the Moana Pasifika scrum but couldn’t turn the tide at crucial moments.
4. Mitchell Dunshea – 6
Opened the scoring for the Crusaders and was industrious around the ground. Was a target for the Saders at lineout time with five wins. Managed a charge down from the base of the ruck.
5. Quinten Strange – 6
Named as captain for the match, he asserted himself on the match in the forward battle. Was tireless for the full 80 minutes.
6. Ethan Blackadder – 7
Showed his typical abrasive style in carries off the ruck, showing no regard for self-preservation. Scored a try off a hard run in the corner for the Crusaders second try.
7. Tom Christie – 7.5
Coming into the game Christie was leading the tackle count for the whole competition and backed it up once again, with a team-high 12 tackles. Gave away a seatbelt tackle but won a crucial turnover when Moana Pasifika were raiding the Crusaders try-line.
8. Pablo Matera – 7
Playing at the back of the scrum, the Argentine international stepped up his work rate and showed his physicality with some strong carries early, and was able to get the ball away on a number of occasions. Was their main lineout option, and even won the ball against the throw.
9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi – 7
Making his debut for the Crusaders, it was a chance for Triple T to get his career back on track. His service from the base of the ruck was quick and sharp. Subbed at half-time but staked a claim for the starting jersey.
10. Simon Hickey – 5
Was thrown the keys to the Crusaders backline. Was more than serviceable running the cutter but couldn’t really get the backline going in the first half in the face of some staunch Moana Pasifika defence.
11. Kini Naholo – 7
The kid can play. Pullinng on the Crusaders jersey for the first time, he was a handful to bring down with some devastating tackle breaks and scintillating runs. Dropped the ball right on halftime, much to Moana Paskika’s relief. Showed some great footwork and even managed a 50/22 in the first half.
12. Dallas McLeod – 6
Was used as a battering ram at inside centre for the Crusaders, providing the team with the much-needed go forward to launch their attack. Carried nine times for 27 metres.
13. Isaiah Punivai – 6
Punivai made his starting debut at centre. Was industrious but struggled to find a way through the Moana Pasifika defence early on. Warmed in himself in the game and put on some big hits.
14. George Bridge – 6.5
Ran a great line off a Tom Christie ball to set up the Crusader’s opening try. Was hit hard early in the second half but it didn’t stop him from going in and looking for work on the inside shoulder of his playmakers.
15. Chay Fihaki – 6
Looked dangerous at times injecting himself from the back. His defence and work off the ball went under the radar but he made some crucial contributions in the Crusaders ability to hold off a tenacious Moana Pasifika.
Reserves
16. Codie Taylor – 7
Made his return from injury at halftime and scored right away off a rolling maul after the Crusaders turned up the heat on Moana Pasifika. Added another try on full-time to secure the bonus point. Taylor brought some much-needed structure to the Crusaders set-piece.
17. Tamaiti Williams – 7
The man-mountain made his arrival known, almost immediately giving the Crusaders the ascendancy in the scrum by winning a penalty for his side. Continued to cause opposition problems while he was on the park.
18. Abraham Pole – 6
Made his debut for the Crusaders after coming in as a late replacement. Got on the field in the 61st minute and scored a try with 10 minutes to go.
20. Dom Gardiner N/A
Made his debut for the Crusaders in the 65th minute and made some positive contributions.
20. Corey Kellow – N/A
Got on the field towards the back-end of the game.
21. Bryn Hall – 6.5
Came on and continued the good work at the base of the ruck. Hall’s service was reliable as ever and he was able to tighten up the Crusader’s attack.
22. Richie Mo’unga – 6
Underplayed his hand when he came on and couldn’t enforce his will on the game as he usually would. Was overwhelmed by the Moana Pasifika defence and shovelled a stray offload to gift MP’s second try of the night. Made amends when Crusaders quickly responded with a try of their own.
23. Kaveinga Finau – N/A
Got some touches towards the end of the game.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments